Heretical? The Papillon Church

From LanceaSanctum

Jump to: navigation, search

The Papillon Church

OOC NOTE: This would likely be heretical. I ask that whoever posted this please contact me, as it has major deviations from LS canon...including material that is just plan wrong on an OOC level. --Wade Racine

The word Papillon is old form meaning; the red-light district; an area of a city that is punctuated by bars, whorehouses, gambling casinos and other places of debauchery. Also refers to a city's prime hunting grounds, where mortal disappearances go largely unnoticed.
The Papillon Church was a Lancea Sanctum sponsored, cosmopolitan, multi-covenant, mixed-clan, “open” coterie the emulates the Catholic Church advocating the spiritual growth through peaceful measures under a single religious authority, the Dark Pope. The Papillon Church was officially formalized the twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our lord two-thousand and five located at Birmingham, Alabama under the leadership of the deceased (see Obituaries) Cardinal Edward Vaughn of the Holy See of Montgomery-Capitol, former Bishop of Sydney, Australia.
What is an “Open” Coterie? This coterie is not exclusive—sole membership is not required…you may belong to a personal coterie as well without conflict of loyalties.
Who can join the Papillon Church? Any covenant, clan or bloodline can join as a full member with all rights and privileges thereof.
How do I become a Member? To become a member among the Gentry (followers of the Papillon Church), you must simply seek out a Papillon Priest for approval. If there is no local Papillon Priest, then you may petition for membership through the Red Templar to gain approval of the Dark Pope.
The word Gentry is old form meaning; the collective group of Kindred who prefer to prey at nightclubs, bars and other "red-light district" establishments.
Special – those among the Gentry who guard and protect the Royal Court or individual Papillon Priests are known as the “Garrison”.
Who administers to the Papillon Church? The Lancea Sanctum covenant (Cardinals, Bishops & Priests) serve as spiritual clergy by teaching the ways of the Papillon Church. If you are “true” Lancea Sanctum (at least one dot is covenant status) then you may join under a Papillon Priest like normal; except that if you carry the title of Cardinal, Bishop or Sanctified Priest, then you automatically become a Papillon Priest upon joining. Note: non-Lancea Sanctum members can become Papillon Priests as well, known as “Blackcoats” (see below).
What constitutes the Royal Court of the Papillon? The hierarchy consists of a Dark Pope as figurehead and final say, the Red Templar serves the Dark Pope and maintains order, the Inquisitor-General appoints fellow inquisitors in proportion to the church’s size and investigates requests for excommunication brought against another by a Papillon Priest. The Grand Legate serves as a spokesperson of the coterie, and the Royal Harpy records all members within the Papillon Church.
What constitutes outside the Royal Court of the Papillon? All Papillon Priests (either Sanctified or Blackcoat) and the Gentry constitute the body of the Papillon Church. Papillon Priests tend to the spiritual needs of his or her city kindred, hear confession and assign penance, administer the sacraments, and officially convert new members from all covenants or clans into the Papillon (all new members are reported through the Red Templar).
Can non-Lancea Sanctum members become Priests in the Papillon Church? Yes, they’re called Blackcoats and are considered official Papillon Priests—to be addressed as Father or Mother upon receipt of status. To become a Blackcoat, one must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the traditions of blood and the unique approach of the Papillon Church as well as its teachings to a ordained Papillon Priest who in-turn will verify and acknowledge the supplicant through ceremony as a “Blackcoat”.
How is the Papillon Church different than the Lancea Sanctum? The Papillon holds all of the core beliefs of the Sanctified as well as the collection of other covenant’s beliefs. The Papillon does not conflict with any covenant's ideals or principles. That is what makes the Papillon so strong…it is universal for all kindred. The word Catholic means universal…and the Papillon Church emulates the Catholic structure and its practices in an “unorthodox” but parallel way.
Why the Papillon Church? There is not an all inclusive means for kindred religion. The Lancea Sanctum is a closed covenant seeking converts to a one dimensional rigid dogma. The Papillon advocate “acceptance” for what you are and what you believe. The teachings of the Sanctified are fundamental, the Ordo Dracul seek possibilities of what could be salvation or Galconda, the Circle of the Crone explore the occult—the mysterious labyrinth we know as the World of Darkness, the Invictus bring us fealty and order, the Carthians remind us that all of those among the Gentry are important—each unlife representing a culmination of knowledge through centuries forming valued opinions, and the Unaligned remind us that piety is owned personally—whether or not someone take a political stance.
What are the teachings of the Papillon Church?
1) The Traditions exist in the Blood
2) The Traditions are Absolute and Inviolate
3) All are worthy of Spiritual Guidance (All covenants and clan or bloodlines)
4) We are truly Damned
5) Each kindred must seek Salvation or embrace Damnation in accordance to his will
6) The way to Salvation (transcendence) is unknown
7) We share a common bond (the Predator's Taint) found in the blood
8) All kindred derive from a single Progenitor
9) All kindred share in the Danse Macabre; each individually of unique value
10) Truth lay behind the madness of Torpor
11) Longinus and Vlad Tepes indirectly substantiate Divinity
12) We are Predators by nature of the Beast within
14) We must feed Moderately to avoid Killing in bloodlust or Wassail (Hunger Frenzy)
15) Civility is mastery of the Beast
16) To sponsor the interchange of information among members of the church by documents, readings, discussions, exhibitions of heritage, current, historical and archival material, and excursions
17) To acquire and preserve books, manuscripts, newspapers, photographs, etc., as may be considered to have a bearing on the history of the Requiem
18) Confession with the Right of Silence, assigning penance and granting pardons Ghosts, purgatory, heaven and denizens of hell, exorsist
Are we in purgatory?
What is the worst Punishment that can be administered? Excommunication from the Papillon Church by the Dark Pope. A Papillon Priest must bring allegations to an Inquisitor for investigation, then Inquisitors report their findings to the Inquisitor-General for possible decree of the Dark Pope <Excommunication>. If there isn’t an inquisitor in your city to undertake an investigation, contact the Inquisitor-General so he may appoint one. What constitutes reason for Excommunication?—that is for a Papillon Priest to report and the Inquisitor to determine.
Note that breach of any Tradition is the full duty of the current praxis-holder where the violation took place—not the Papillon Church.
What about Crùac (blood magic)? The Circle of the Crone illuminate the ethereal regions of the World of Darkness through their own unique way of sorcery. The Occult is valued by the Papillon Church and knowledge of ghosts, etc… and the unknown is collected and shared. Nowhere does it say that the Traditions are violated through the use of Crùac. The Lancea Sacntum stereotype and bias does not apply to the Sanctified in the Papillon Church.
What do I call a building used as a Papillon Church? Churches of the Papillon are referred to as Sanctuary, known by the symbol of the Ankh—meaning: everlasting life. They can be any type of building from night clubs, warehouses to old monasteries.
What are “Aspect” titles and status among the Papillon? The Dark Pope may at any time recognize those among the Gentry for an “Aspect” by naming that aspect as a unique title specific to you. This will be seen as positive status among the Papillon Church. (Example: Faith, Hope, Wrath, etc…). Aspect titles show closeness to the Dark Pope or admiration. Those holding an Aspect title should be understood as favored by the Dark Pope.
How do I recognize other Papillon Church members online? All Papillon Church members will provide a signature block as detailed below—so all may know who is a member of the church and what position they hold.
Dark Pope = Dark Pope of the Papillon Church
Red Templar = Red Templar of the Papillon Church
Grand Legate = Grand Legate of the Papillon Church
Royal Harpy = Royal Harpy of the Papillon Church
Inquisitor-General = Inquisitor-General of the Papillon Church
Inquisitor = <Papillon Church—Inquisitor>
Sanctified Priest = <Papillon Church—Sanctified>
Blackcoat Priest = <Papillon Church—Blackcoat>
Gentry = <Papillon Church—Gentry>
Garrison = <Papillon Church—Garrison>
Aspect = <Papillon Church—Wrath> <Papillon Church—Faith>, etc…

How do I address the Dark Pope? As His or Your Holiness.

Other Links:

Retrieved from "http://www.lanceasanctum.org/Heretical%3F_The_Papillon_Church"
Player Created
Characters